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As much as I love risotto the day of, I absolutely abhor it the day after. No matter how I try to heat it up (stove top, microwave, oven), it ends up gummy and lackluster. So, when I heard about arancini, or fried risotto, I was very curious to try it out. While most of the recipes I came across called for deep fried balls of risotto, I decided to make patties and pan fry them. I hate to use all of the oil and there’s something about deep frying that makes me recoil. The end result here was the perfect way to use up leftover risotto, and something I will certainly be repeating. The outside was crispy, the risotto was creamy, and the enclosed mozzarella was the perfect molten-y goodness. These were incredibly easy, although ridiculously messy, to make, and would make a perfect appetizer.

The chicken was also moist and tasty. I love balsamic and it perfectly complemented the umami of the mushrooms while not overwhelming the flavor of the chicken or zucchini. Paired together with the arancini, this dish was a real winner.

In a medium bowl, combine risotto, jasmine rice and 1 egg, beaten. Mix together thoroughly. Form into patties roughly 3 inches across and 1 inch thick. Insert cube or two of mozzarella into center of patty.

Place flour in a shallow dish. Place remaining beaten egg in a second shallow dish. Place breadcrumbs in a third shallow dish. Coat each patty with flour, followed by egg, followed by bread crumbs.